ATHLETES POST IMPRESSIVE TIMES, DISTANCES
THE CENTROPLEX — Waco High School half-lapper and long sprinter LeJerald Betters leads an all-star area cast of national-caliber athletes from Central Texas. Heading into the final weeks of his senior year and preparing to enroll at Baylor University in the fall, Betters ranks no. 1 on the U.S. high school boys list at 400 meters (46.84); no. 1 in Texas at 200 meters (20.81); and no. 1 in the Central Texas area in the triple jump (47-feet-10 ½). Track & Field News ranks Betters no. 20 on the U.S. men’s 400 meters list. Other nationally- and state-ranked area scholar athletes include:
KILLEEN HIGH SCHOOL
University Interscholastic League class 4A state track meet, Amateur Athletics Union and Texas Relays finalist at 100 meters, Killeen High junior Tiffany Townsend won the 100 meters at the Kangaroo Relays on Friday, March 31, running a school and city record, as well as area-leading time in the 200 meters (23.77). During the preliminaries of the short sprints at the District 16-4A Championships, Townsend lowered the KHS and city records in the 100 (11.38) and 200 (23.72), respectively, narrowly missing the all-time Central Texas area record held by Nanceen Perry in the 100 (11.30) and 200 (23.30). Townsend ranks no. 2 on the all-time area list in both sprints. Her 100-meter preliminary time qualified her in the no. 1 position for the girls’ finals and in the no. 8 position on the boys’ district list. For the 100 meters, high school boys and girls, Townsend is third fastest in the city of Killeen behind James Bivens (10.62) and Justin Harkness (10.99).
AAU Junior Olympic gold medalist and KHS freshman Omar Craddock jumped 47-feet-9 ¾ at the Ellison High School Eagle Relays on Friday, March 10, to lead all class 4A triple jumpers in Texas for six consecutive weeks. Texas Track & Field News officially recognized the outstanding distance in a late March edition of its publication. The winning triple jump distance at the Eagle Relays eclipsed the previous city of Killeen record (45-feet-6) set by Ellison High School all-around scholar athlete Tobyn Rucker in 1992. Holding the distinction of furthest distance ever jumped by a ninth-grader and 14-year-old attending a Texas high school, Craddock established a state class and age-group record. His best attempt this year fell seven and one-half inches short of the national age-group record (48-feet-4 ¼) set in 1997 by North Carolinian Greg Yeldell. He is ranked no. 1 in the Central Texas area; no. 3 in class 4A and no. 5 for the entire state of Texas in the triple jump.
Senior KHS jumpers Andrew Gumbs and Keith Ladson lead the Central Texas area in the long jump, respectively, with distances of 23-feet-5 and 24-feet-0. Gumbs ranks amongst area leaders in the triple jump (47-feet-3) and Ladson, who placed fourth in the long jump at the AAU Jr. Olympics (’05), ranks in the high jump (6-feet-8). Four consecutive weeks, Ladson held the no. 1 position in the state for the class 4A boys’ long jump; he now ranks no. 5 amongst all competitors, classes 1 through 5A.
KHS high jumper Anthony Hemmingway, the 2006 Texas Relays champion, cleared 7-feet-0 twice in competitions this year for a no. 1 area ranking. A consistent and fluid jumper, Hemingway ranks no. 6 in the state of Texas.
KHS senior Amanda McHaney set a school record in the girls’ pole vault with a 10-feet-6 victory at the Kangaroo Relays. Other top KHS performers include: Zac Davis in the 800 meters (1:59.9) and Stephen Smith (6-feet-6).
ELLISON HIGH SCHOOL
EHS senior Alesha Walker garnered a state ranking in the long (19-feet-0 ¾) and 200 meters (24.39). Walker leads all long jumpers and ranks no. 2 in the half lap for area girls. She ranks no. 6 in the long jump and no. 9 in the 200 meters for the entire state.
EHS junior triple jumper Samantha Hamilton leads the state in the triple jump (39-feet-9). Hamilton won the Texas Relays and District 13-5A track and field championships. Other top EHS performers include: Jaravise Donald in the triple jump (45-feet-7 ½) and 300 hurdles (39.16); and Brittany Clarke in the long jump (18-feet-5).
COPPERAS COVE HIGH SCHOOL
CCHS scholar athlete and junior Robert Griffin ranks in several events. A multitalented competitor and AAU Junior Olympian, Griffin is amongst the best in the area, ranking no. 1 in 110-meter hurdles (13.67); no. 2 in the 400 meters (48.49); no. 5 in the long jump (22-feet-7) and no. 7 in the high jump (6-feet-2). His 110-meter time, in fact, leads all Texans and garnered Griffin a position on the most recent Track & Field News list.
Alphonso Powell ranks amongst the best all-around athletes in the Central Texas area. The CCHS senior holds the no. 3 position in the 110-meter hurdles (14.2); no. 4 position in the long jump (22-feet-7) and no. 5 position in the triple jump (46-feet-0 ¼). Other top performers include: Samaura Jacquot in the triple jump (38-feet-5) and Valerie Hancock in the 100 hurdles (14.68).
HARKER HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL
HHHS junior Brittani Simmons ran 11.66 seconds early in the season to establish a school record. She lowered her time once more at the District 13-5A track and field championships, running 11.50 seconds for a victory and trip to the regional meet. Other top performers include: Isaac Murphy in the pole vault (14-feet-0) and Nyesha Davis in the triple jump (38-feeet-9).
TRAVIS MIDDLE SCHOOL
Thirteen-year-old Travis Middle School eighth-grader Lache Seastrunk is the only non-high school athlete on the area leaders list. Jumping 20-feet-9 ¼ at the Central Texas District track and field championships, Seastrunk claims the no. 19 position in the area, inches ahead of high school jumpers from Corsicana, Killeen and Waco.
PHOTOS/TEXT
LAYOUT
1 comment:
This to me is a big accomplishment, because i am being acknowledged amongst the top runners and jumpers that are older than me. It also feels good because i am the youngest of them all making my mark, and being ranked in my division and others. "To succeed is to work hard, and you to can go far." Omar Craddock
Post a Comment